One thing I loved about LOTR movies was the fact that PJ and his team showed us several ruined settlements in Middle-Earth. Just take a look at the ruined Eregion building which the Fellowship passes in the mountains, surroundings of the Moria gate, Amon Hen statues, stairs and other things (I completely adore these) and ruined Ithilien buildings... (I'm not talking about places like Osgiliath or Amon Sul, because they simply had to put them in the movies). So obviously, I was expecting to see some ruins in AUJ. It would be logical - the company passes through the former kingdom of Arnor on their journey and what's more, even Tolkien himself mentioned in The Hobbit that Bilbo saw ruined buildings. Therefore, I was a bit dissapointed not to see any ruins (the house which was destroyed by the trolls doesn't count for me and we've already seen Amon Sul in FOTR)... I'm still hoping that perhaps EE might include some Arnor ruins, but something tells me it won't happen :( What are your thoughts?

The areas they go through in AUJ aren't really full of ruins, though
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I understand what you mean, but the regions of Middle Earth the journey goes through doesn't really have much in the way of ruins.

For the first leg of the journey (Hobbiton to Rivendell), they're in an area that was never really heavily settled by the Numenoreans. The only real large structure that was built in that part of NW Earth was Weathertop/Amon Sul, and we got to see that for a few minutes.

The second leg of the journey goes through a very much unpopulated part of the Misty Mountains also. There's no real large settlement on the eastern side of the mountains before the Elvernking's halls and Laketown.

I see what you mean, but how do we know that these areas were sparsely inhabited? If my knowledge of the Middle-Earth geography is right, the company goes through the former kingdoms of Cardolan and Rhudaur and these kingdoms must have had their capital cities, although they're never mentioned in Tolkien's works, mustn't they? But what Tolkien does mention is the fact that Bilbo sees ruins on their way :) So I don't think that including ruins in the movie would be out of place...

The ruins in LOTR were perfect symbols for the rotten kingdoms of Men and other Free Folk. Amon Sûl (destroyed watchtower of Arnor), Amon Hen (once a watchpoint of Gondor), Argonath (once border of Gondor), Moria/Khazad-dûm (destroyed kingdom of Dwarves), Osgiliath (destroyed former capital of Gondor). We also see a ruin after the Fellowship left Rivendell (I think it was once a fortress of Arnor or Eregion). In AUJ and TH there is no need for it because the destruction of the world isn't the topic. We only see ruins of places that belong to the story of Thorin & Co. In FOTR we've for example a short explanation what Amon Sûl once was. There's no such thing in AUJ. Why? Because it's not part of this story.

In AUJ the world seems to be allright that might change now in DOS but ruins... well they represent destruction, war and death."There is only one Lord of the Ring, only one who can bend it to his will. And he does not share power."

The only ruins they could have shown in the first leg of the journey would have been in the Lone-lands. In the book, the ruined buildings Bilbo saw were castles and outposts of Rhudaur, one of the three Arnorian states that split apart. We see Amon Sul, as you said, but the rest of that scene is taken up by Balin's flashback so there wasn't really time to show other ruins in the area. We may see more of Rhudaur in the High Fells segment of the next movie.

What are your thoughts on Dol Guldur? That was presented as a ruin in the movie. Tolkien doesn't specifically state that it was so in the book so that was Jackson giving us a ruin. I had always pictured it as a fully operational fortress but the idea of Sauron inhabiting a ruined and abandoned Elvish tower, decrepit and moss-ridden and overcome by corrupted nature, is an interesting one.

That was one of the things that kind of gave more weight and history to Middle Earth in LOTR. Another ruin was the large stone head that Frodo walks by before Boromir tries to take the ring. And then the Statue behind Boromir when he's getting shot by arrows. -Sir are you classified as human -Negative, I am a meat-popsicle